Device for feeding a wall frame

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a device for feeding a planar section, e.g. a wall element, in relation to one or more working stations, e.g. nailing and/or hole making stations, the planar section having an upper portion ( 2 ) and a lower portion ( 1 ) and intermediate pieces ( 3 ) inteconnecting the upper portion ( 2 ) with the lower portion ( 1 ), a first conveyor ( 23 ) being intended for the upper portion ( 1 ) or the lower portion ( 2 ), a second conveyor ( 24 ) being intended for other portion, extending in parallel with the first conveyor ( 23 ) and being switchable for increasing or decreasing the distance between the conveyors ( 23, 24 ) and both of the conveyors ( 23, 24 ) being disposed to cooperate with carriers ( 21, 22 ) displaceable therealong for displacement of the portions ( 1, 2, 3 ) along the conveyors ( 23, 24 ).

[0001] The present invention relates to a device according to the preamble to appended claim 1.

[0002] Prior art devices of the above-mentioned type have a complicated design and construction and are difficult, if not totally impossible, to switch rapidly and easily for handling planar sections of different heights or distances between the upper portion and lower portion. Further, prior art constructions lack the possibility of simple adjustment of the height of the planar section or the distance between the upper portions and the lower portion.

[0003] The task forming the basis of the present invention is to realise an improved device and to obviate, or at least reduce, the drawbacks inherent in prior art devices.

[0004] This task is solved in the device intimated by way of introduction according to the present invention in that it is given the characterising features as set forth in appended claim 1.

[0005] The present invention realises a device possessing great versatility, in particular as regards adaptability to planar sections or wall elements of different heights, and adjustability for solving temporary clamping situations, as well as adjustments while the work is in progress. These qualities afford the possibility of attaining considerably improved accuracy and smaller tolerances in respect of the finished section or element. Further, considerably higher work rates are made for than in prior art devices.

[0006] The present invention will be described hereinbelow in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a part of the device of FIG. 1.

[0009]FIG. 3 is a photographic illustration of parts of the device of FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 4 is a photographic illustration of the parts in FIG. 3 from the opposing side in relation to FIG. 3.

[0011] The embodiment of a device according to the present invention shown on the drawings will be described in greater detail in connection with the manufacture of a construction element, e.g. a wall element. This normally consists of a ground plate 1, a top plate 2 and a number of joists 3 of which only one is shown in FIG. 1. The joists 3 are placed between the ground plate 1 and the top plate 2 with suitable spacing, which normally is a centre-to-centre spacing of 600 mm. Both the ground plate 1 and the top plate 2 rest on a sawing unit 4 and 5, respectively, a jointing unit 6 and 7, respectively, and a substrate 8 and 9, respectively. The sawing units 4, 5 usually consist of a raisable and lowerable circular saw. The jointing units 6, 7 are normally intended for nailing in place of a joint plate. The substrates 8 and 9 have on the outside a support 10 which determines the distance between the ground plate 1 and the top plate 2. A piston and cylinder assembly 11 and 12, respectively, serve for urging the ground plate 1 and top plate 2 against the substrate 8 and 9, respectively. Thus, the ground plate 1 and the top plate 2 are fixed in the illustrated position with the aid of the piston and cylinder assemblies 11, 12. With the ground plate 1 and the top plate 2 in this position, the intermediate piece or joist 3 is placed in the illustrated position, a support being provided at each end of the joist 3 against which the joist is urged with the aid of a lowerable arm 13. The arm 13 is switchable with the aid of a piston and cylinder assembly 15, while the support on the opposite side of the joist 3 is displaceable upwards and downwards with the aid of a piston and cylinder assembly 14. There is a similar arrangement at the opposite end of the joist 3, but this is not apparent in FIG. 1. A piston and cylinder assembly 16, 17 at each end of the corner between the ground plate and the joist 3 is disposed to urge the corner against the substrate in order that the parts will be flush with each other or on a level with each other before being fixed or nailed together to each other.

[0012] At each corner, there is provided a fixed nail gun 18 and a movable nail gun 19. The nail guns 18, 19 usually consist of pneumatic nailing units with nail band magazines for automatic nailing together of the parts to each other. The nail gun 19 is vertically displaceable with the aid of a piston and cylinder assembly 20 for nailing for placing nails throughout the entire height of the ground plate 1 and the top plate 2, respectively. At each corner, there may moreover be provided additional working devices, for example a drilling machine for making holes in the ground plate 1 and the top plate 2, respectively, while the parts are fed past the device. After the nailing of the ground plate 1 on the joist 3 and top plate 2 on the joist 3, the three of them are to be displaced away from the working stations and this is put into effect with the aid of a carrier 21 for the ground plate 1 and a carrier 22 for the top plate 2. The carrier 21 is disposed at a fixed conveyor 23, while the carrier 22 is disposed at a moving conveyor 24.

[0013] The conveyor 23 is supported on adjustable legs 25 while the moving conveyor 24 is supported by legs 25 which are provided with carriages 26. The legs 25 are vertically adjustable for adjusting the fixed conveyor to a suitable horizontal extent. The moving conveyor 24 is displaceable with the aid of the carriages 26 in a direction towards and away from the fixed conveyor 23 on rails or beams 27. These rails or beams 27 are supported from the substrate with the aid of vertically adjustable feet 28.

[0014] It is more clearly apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4 that the carriages 26 rest on the rails or beams 27 via wheels or rollers 29. A shaft 30 extends through each carriage and, at each carriage 26, has a toothed chain wheel 31 which is rotary with the shaft 30 which is driven by a suitable prime mover, not shown. A drive chain 32 a extends over the toothed chain wheel 31 and extends down to a bending roller on shafts 32 b at the lower edge of the carriage 26. The drive chain 32 a extends from the bending roller along the lower edge of the beam or the rail 27 and from the bending roller to each end of the beam or the rail 27. The moving conveyor 24 is thus easy to move in a direction towards and away from the fixed conveyor 23 with the aid of the shaft 30, the geared chain wheel 31 and the chain 32 a, the bending roller, as well as the rails or beams 27. As a result of this chain drive, it is possible to achieve an extremely high degree of accuracy of the adjustment of the moving conveyor in relation to the fixed conveyor 23.

[0015] Both the fixed conveyor 23 and the moving conveyor 24 have a chain 34, 35, respectively extending therealong for transport of the ready-processed element therealong. The chains are driven by a motor 36 for the chain 34 on the fixed conveyor 23 and a motor 37 for the feeding chain 35 of the moving conveyor 24.

[0016] The carriers 21 and 22 are movable along each respective conveyor 23, 24 with the aid of a toothed belt, not shown, or some other similar drive means which runs inside a beam 38, 39, respectively. Each carrier 21, 22 has a fixed clamping jaw 40 and a moving clamping jaw 41. The moving clamping jaw 41 is vertically displaceable with the aid of a piston and cylinder assembly 42.

[0017] After nailing of the corners between the ground plate 1, the top plate 2 and the joist 3, the corner or the end of the ground plate 1 or top plate 2, respectively is grasped between the clamping jaws 40, 41 on the carriers 21, 22 and displaced along the conveyors 23 and 24 a distance so far as is desirable for placing of the next intermediate piece or joist 3 or for making a hole in the ground plate 1 and/or the top plate 2. The carriers 21 and 22 are displaceable throughout the entire length of the beams 38, 39 but, if this distance is not sufficient for the manufactured element, the carriers 21 and 22 can release their grip and be moved back along the ground plate 1 and top plate 2, respectively, for a new grip and further transport of the manufactured element. When the element is finished, it is conveyed on the chains 34 and 35 to almost the end of the conveyors 23, 24 awaiting transport away therefrom either in the longitudinal direction or transversely thereof to a conveyor beside the illustrated conveyors or a conveyor in the longitudinal direction thereof as is deemed suitable in the plant in which the device according to the invention is placed.

[0018] Many modifications are naturally possible without departing from the inventive concept as defined in the appended claims. For example, it is possible to have several working stations and working tools than that which is apparent in the foregoing description. 

1. Device for feeding a planar section, e.g. a wall element, in relation to one or more working stations, e.g. nailing and/or hole making stations, the planar section having an upper portion (2) and a lower portion (1), and intermediate pieces (3) interconnecting the upper portion (2) with the lower portion (1), a first conveyor (23) is intended for the upper portion (1) or the lower portion (2), and a second conveyor (24) is intended for the other portion, extending parallel with the first conveyor (23) and is switchable for increasing or decreasing the distance between the conveyors (23, 24), characterised in that both conveyors (23, 24) are disposed to cooperate with carriers (21, 22) displaceable back and forth therealong for displacement of the portions (1, 2, 3) along the conveyors (23, 24) and that the carriers (21, 22) are disposed substantially simultaneously to grasp about the upper portion (2) and lower portion (1), respectively, and to displace them along the conveyors (23, 24) together with the intermediate pieces (3).
 2. The device as claimed in claims 1, characterised in that the carriers (21, 22) are displaceable independently of each other and/or synchronously with each other.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the carriers (21, 22) are stepwise displaceable.
 4. The device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the carriers (21, 22) have a lower, fixed clamping element (40) and an upper clamping element (41) reciprocally movable in relation to the lower clamping element (40) for clamping and fixedly retaining the upper portion (2) and/or the lower portion (1) between them at least during displacement along the conveyor (23, 24).
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the second conveyor (24) is mounted on a number of rails (27) transversely disposed in relation thereto and on which same are reciprocally displaceable towards and away from the first conveyor (23) for position in relation to the length of the intermediate pieces (3) and thereby the distance between the upper portion (2) and the lower portion (1).
 6. The device as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the second conveyor (24) is mounted on a number of carriages (26) with wheels (29) each for cooperation with the rails (27), and that the carriages (26) display drive means for displacement of the carriages (26) on the rails (27).
 7. The device as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the drive means are interconnected by means of a shaft (30) extending substantially parallel with the conveyor for simultaneous displacement of the carriages (26) on the rails (27).
 8. The device as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the drive means include a chain wheel (31) rotary with the shaft (30) for a drive chain (32 a) which extends over the chain wheel (31) down to bending rollers on the carriage (26) and thence in a direction towards the ends of the rails (27) and form that distance along which the carriage (26) is movable. 